16 Connecting Rural Development Strategies and Resources with guests Joe T. Wood and Jim Tracy

Rural America is facing some incredible challenges. When rural students graduate high school many of them move away to urban areas. The up-and-coming generation tends to overlook their opportunities in rural areas. This hurts the economy of local communities, including those in Southwest Tennessee.

The Southwest Tennessee Rural Workforce Readiness Collaborative is working to reverse this problem. By building a comprehensive approach to help bridge the skills gap, they’re beginning to show students the opportunities around them for meaningful employment in great-paying careers—like manufacturing and construction—and then providing the path.

In order to strengthen the workforce across four rural counties, the collaborative pursued—and received—a first-of-its-kind $250,000 grant from the USDA. It will likely serve as a national model for similar programs across the nation seeking to build on the success of ACT® Work Ready Communities and generate investment in the talent pipeline.

On this episode of Ready for Work, we’re joined by Joe T. Wood and Jim Tracy. They discuss the importance of workforce development in rural areas, the technology that the USDA’s grant is making possible, the implementation of ACT programs, and what’s happening next.

Join the Conversation

Jim Tracy Twitter: @JimTracy

Joe T. Wood LinkedIn: Joe T Wood

Jasen Jones Twitter: @JasenCJones

ACT Twitter: @act

ACT Workforce Solutions: LinkedIn

Resources

Presentation from Joe T. Wood and Jim Tracy at ACT Workforce Summit

USDA Rural Development grant to Tennessee Board of Regents will assist workforce readiness in Chester, Decatur, Henderson & Perry counties

Tennessee School Board Association Career Cluster Dashboard

USDA Rural Community Development Initiative

ACT WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate® (NCRC®)

ACT Work Ready Communities

ACT Workforce Solutions